Locking towel-rack.



' snik t SHEET I S. B. FETHEROLF.

LCKING TOWEL RACK.

PPLICATION FILED SEPT- IZ, i358. 1,289,428. A Patented Dec. 31,1918

2 SHEES-SHEET 2. la.;

l zzyf z5 WDM d au sTEPHEN n. EETHEROLE, or CINCINNATI, omo.

LOCKING TOWEL-BACK.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application Bled September 12, 1918. Serial No. 253,756.

To all whom z't may concern: y

Be it known thatI, STEPHEN B. FETHER- oLF, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Towel-Racks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The present invention is fully set `forth and described in that certain application for Letters Patent on locking towel racks filed by me April th, 1913, Serial No. 759,203, certain claims of which are involved in the interference with the patent to Jacques Rousso, No. 1,157,046, dated October 19, 1915, and with the pending applications of Harry Solomon and Edwin T. Brigham; and the present application is filed for the purpose of withdrawing from said ori 'nal application the subject matter adjudge not to interfere.

My invention relates to towel racks, and has for its object the prevention of removal c and misuse of towels by the customer of a i view of a towel towel-supply establishment, and also prevent misappropriation of the towels yby the delivery man, should he be dishonest, or loss of towels by him, should he be careless.

My invention consists in the part-s, and in the details of construction and arrangement of arts, set forth and claimed herein.

n the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional cabinet with towels therein held on my improved towel rack, with dotted lines indicating the position of the towel and of the parts, when the towel is'being used. This view illustrates the application of my invention to the holding of hand towels.

Fig. 2 illustrates the use of my invention with a. roller towel.

Fig. 3 is supplementary to Fi 2 in illus trating at a, b and c respective y, different positions of the towel and the chain, as the towel is being used.

Fig, 4 is a erspective view of a bundle of towels rea for delivery, with my improved device liolding them.

Fig. 5 illustrates the part of the rack holding the soiled towels, ready for collecting them for return to the towel-supply house.

Fig. 6 illustrates, in section similar to Figs. 1 and 2, the use of a modification of my invention, simpler in construction but less convenient in use.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a bundle of towels ready for delivery, with this modified device holding them.

Fig. S is a longitudinal sectional View of the tube and rod of this modified construction, with the chain thereon, but indicated as with apart broken away, for lack of space.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of i the device shown 'in Figs.

of the chain being shown.

b Fig. 10 is a detail view of the inner mem- Fig. 11 isa similar view of the outer member.

Fig. 12 is a cross of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is asimilar cross section on the line y, y, of Fig. l1.

Fig. 14 is a cross section through the lock-case, on the line z, 2, of Fig. 9.

In the preferred form, the use of which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, and the parts of which are illustrated in detail in Figs. 9 to 14 inclusive, a lockcase 1 has a shank 2 that may extend through the bottom of the labinet and receives a padlock, as seen in ig. 1.

Extending in opposite direction from the shank 2 is a barrel 3 having a pin 4, extending radially inwardly a short distance from the junction of the barrel with the lockcase. Inside the lockcase 1 are sliding keepers 5 and 6, pressed up by individually yieldable springs 7 and 8. The outer lock member 9 slides into thepbarrel 3 and has a longitudinal slot 10 extending from the adjacent end of the member up to and merging into a slot 11 extending about onefourth of the circumference ofthe tumbler. Diametrically o posite this slot 10 are two notches 12 an 13, cut about half-way through the tumbler, each approached by a short incline 14 and 15 respectively, at their lower sides, while the lower notch 13 has a similar incline 16 at its upper side, and the end of the member on this side has a similar incline 17. Y

The outer locking member 9 is tubular, and the inner member 18, which need not be tubular, slides into the outer member. This inner member 18 has a longitudinaLslot 19 merging into a circumferential slot 20, and

1 to 5, only part section on the line a',

on the opposite side has notches 21 and 22,

.with its knob or head all of which register with and conform to the corresponding slots and notches in the outer member. The notches in this inner member, however, need have no inclines, and the end of the member need not be inclined, as in the outer member.

The outer member 9 has a head or knob 23 obstructing the end ot' the barrel 3 when the keepers 5 and 6 are in the notches` in the lock member, as seen in Fig. 9. The inner member 18 has a chain 24 swiveled to its outer end, in a reduced region Q5, so that the outer member 9 is permitted to slide out oli' the inner member onto this chain. The chain has a ring 26 at its free end, preventing the outer member from leaving it. This chain may be of any length for convenience.

The towels have gromets 27, preferably of metal, and these gromets slide onto the barrel of the lock when the outer member 9, with its obstructin head or knob 23 is removed from the loc r. Then, when the outer member, with its head, and the inner member 18, with its chain with the ring on its end, are placedv in the lock, the towels may be slid out onto the chain, but only after the outer member has thus been slid out; and the outer member must go in advance of the towels toward the end of the chain, while to re lace the outer member in the lock, the towe s must slide back onto the barrel of the lock in advance of the outer member.

With this arrangement, the outer member being released and allowed to drop to the end of the chain, as in Fig. 1, the towels are free to be used, as indicated, but connedto the chain. The chain ebeing flexible, o'ers very little interference with the use of the towel and causes very little inconvenience to the user. If the device be locked into the cabinet, as indicated, the towels not only cannot be removed singly, but they cannot be removed without taking the cabinet with it. The first circumstance prevents misuse of towels, such as using them for window cleaning or other work which spoils them; while the latter restriction discourages the transfer of the towels from place to place about the premises of the user, or away from his premises, which may result in loss of the tl'loivels, with dilliculty of fixing the responsii it Tlire apparatus just described depends `for its security on the difliculty of removal of either rmember without leaving the other one in the lock, z'. e., the removal of both lock membersso as to have both out during the same period of time. The delivery man can remove the inner member with its chain, but only after he has laced all the towels on the barrel of the loc where they belong for return to the supply house, and after the outer mem r has been secured in the barrel, reventin the escape of the towels from the arrel. e very act of releasing the inner member requires the insertion and securing of the outer member in place. On the other hand, the customer or user, if he attempt to remove the towels, can only do likewise, and his attempt will be frustrated.

The person responsible for all of the towels at the supply house has a key, in all respects like the inner lock member, except that no chain and ring are attached to it. This key is inserted, releasin the outer member and allowing it to be s id out over the key, after which the used towels are removed over the end of the key, and clean towels replaced on the barrel of the lock, sliding over the end of this key. Then the outer lock member is inserted again, releasing the key, but securing itself in place, with its knob reventing the removal of the clean towels. IBIhe delivery man may now take the towels to the user, there insert the inner member with its chain and rin which were left there when the last lot o used towels were removed, release the outer member and allow it to slide onto the chain, upon which the towels are ready for use, but cannot be removed, either by the delive man or the customer. It is to be noted t t the manager or person responsible for the towels at the supply house, could not remove his kev after removing the inner lock member. t was only due to the fact that this key had no chain and ring that he was able to remove and replace the towels.

This removal of one lock member through the instrumentality of the other, thus makeach member the key for the other, is

in eiigected by the partial rotation of either offY them in the direction permitted b the circumferential slot riding over t e radial pin 4. Such movement presses the keepers 5 and 6 down, against the pressure of their springs, disengaging these keepers from the notches in the ot er lock member, which was not thus turned, but which isiturned so that its longitudinal slot rides over the in 4, permitting it to leave the barrel. T e one which was turned to1 disengage the keepers, however, has the pin engaging the sides of the circumferential slot, and cannot be moved lengthwise of the barrel. If this lock member be rotated back so that the pin is in line with its longitudinal slot, the keepers will immediately enter its notches, and they will prevent its longitudinal movement.

The actions of the outer and inner members in this operation are the same, except that the inner member, on' partial rotation,

as described, presses the kee rs back only as far as the inner walls of t is outer member on the inclines 14 and 15. Likewise, when the outer member is reiserted, the incline 16 at the upper side of the lower notch 13 andinclino 17 at the end ofthe outer membercome into action, pushing the keepers back from the surface of the inner member to which they have been forced by the partial rotation of this member, and allowing the keepers to ride up onto the outer surface of the outer member, and then down the other inclines into the notches of this member against the surface of the inner member again, which, now rotated back, per mits these keepers to enter its notches and the notches of the outer member as well.

A plurality of these keepers is provided to augment the difliculty of picking the lock when either one of the tumblers has been removed. The construction involving the action of the inclines to complete the removal of the keepers from the notches of the outer member also adds to the diiliculty of picking the lock while the inner lock member is out, by access through the hollow interior of the outer lock member. By adding to the number of keepers, each with an individual spring and a notch to enter in each member, the diiliculty of picking increases at a high ratio. The rightful operation of the lock will be equally convenient with any number of keepers, since it is necessary only to rotate the member which it is not desired to remove over till the end of the circumferential slot strikes the radial pin, and then rotate the other lock member desired to be removed in the other direction, at the same time pulling outward upon it.

s soon as its longitudinal slot comes opposite the radial pin it will slide out. TheY operation of the lock is far more convenient and rapid than where a lock requiring a key is used, and the necessity of carrying a key is avoided. The lock-case and barrel, with the outer lock member in place, are the only parts that must go with the bundle of towels during transportation, the chain and inner member remaining at the place where the towels are used, and simply having various lock-cases, barrels and outer lock Vmembers interchanged with it, as successive bundles of towels are brought and taken away. Thus the delivery man is relieved of considerable labor of handling and transporting which is involved with apparatus requiring the entire apparatus to be taken along with the towels each time. i

The simpler device which I illustrate herein has the advantage in common with the preferred construction above described, in that a chain is used, allowing free use of the towels while confined thereto. However this construction requires the use of a padlock with key, or othel` lock distinct from the towel holding elements, and it requires that the entire device be transported along with the bundle of towels each time. When thus transported, the chain may be wound around the bundle, as indicated in Fig. 7. Theisecond lock. holding the apparatus in the cabinet performs the same function as the similarly used one in the previous example; but it is necessary for the delivery man to have the key for this lock, as in the other example also. It will be understood that this lock, in either example, is not necessary to the prevention of lossl of towels separately, but only to prevent bodily removal of the entire supply, as before described.

This simpler device comprises a tube with a flange 31 at its lower end, and a rod 32 passing through the tube. The upper end of the rod has the chain 33 swiveled to it, with a ring 34 on the end of the chain. The gromets of the towels are slipped onto the tube, down against the flange, and then the rod is inserted through the tube, after which the towels can be slid out onto the chain for use, but cannot leave the chain at the free end on account of the obstruction afforded directly by the ring. The rod has an upper opening 35, adapted to come just below the flanged lower end of the tube when the rod and tube telescope. This opening receives a suitable lock to prevent withdrawal of the rod from the tube, and the key or other means of opening this lock is kept by the manager or other person responsible for all of the towels, thus preventing the delivery men from separating the towels from the bundle. The lower opening 36 in the rod, close to the lower end of the rod, receives the lock for locking the entire device with the towels in the cabinet, as before described. The delivery' man carries the means for opening this lock, so he can remove the entire device, with the towels, from the cabinet, to insert another complete device, with clean towels.

My device, of either construction, with the chain, is especially adapted for hand towels. By looping or hooking the chain to the cabinet it may be caused to hold a'single towel if repeated use is desired. In any case, when the soiled towel is released, it slides toward the end of the chain, preferably into a suit able receptacle, as illustrated. Either construction is also highly adapted for use with roller towels, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The towel may be placed on the roller with the gromet close upto the roller on the front shelf. Then as the towel is used, the gromet slides down the chain until it reaches the bottoni of the loop which the towel makes. The gromet then slides up the chain until it is ready to pass over the roller again, where further movement of the towel in that direction is arrested. To use the towel again it is only required that it be pulled back until the gromet reaches the initial position.

lVhen a clean towel is desired, the soiled4 towel is released from the roller as usual and allowed to slide down the chain bodily, after which a clean towel is brought down andplaced on the roller. The flexibility of the chain permits the removal, use

and replacin of towels with scarcely any interference rom the apparatus, while these roller towels are protected against misuse or removal just as the hand towels are.

It will be understood that my invention is adaptable for use in any connection where a quantity of towels are to be supplied and protected as described, and its use is not limited to association wit-h cabinets or other details as illustrated for example. Also the invention itself is capable of considerable modification other than is illustrated, Without departure from the scope and spirit of my invention.

Therefore I do not wish to be understood as limitin myself to the specific details of the exam des illustrated and described herein, but w at I claim as new and desire to secure rly Letters Patent, is i l. he combination of a tube arranged to hold towels or the like by being threaded therethrough, a member supportin said tube, a flexible linear member adapted to be passed throu h the hollow interior of the tube, a lock or detachably connecting said flexible linear member to the said supporting member after the said flexible linear member ha; been threaded through the said tube, and means at the opposite end of the said flexible linear member for preventing the said towels or the like from being taken ofi', substantially as described.

2. A towel rack comprising a flexible member to receive the towels for use, a rod secured to the flexible member, a tube receiving the rod and adapted to receive the towels from the flexible member for storage or transportation, and means for locking said rod in said tube.

3. A towel rack comprising a flexible member to receive the towels for'use, an obstruction preventing the towels from being removed over one end of the flexible member, a rod secured to the flexible member, onto which the towels may slide from the other end of the flexible member, a tube receiving the rod, and adapted to receive the towels from said rod and flexible member for storage or transportation, means forlocking said rod and said tube together, and means for locking said rod and tube, thus locked together, to the place of storage of the towels.

4. In a towel rack, as parts thereof, a lockcase, a barrel thereon, an outer lock member inserted in the barrel, an inner lock member inserted in the outer member, and engaging means inside the lock-case to hold either of said lock members, but releasable by one of the members to permit the removal of the other member, whereby the memberreleasing the engaging means is then held by said engaging means.

5. In a towel rack, as parts thereof, a lockcase, a barrel thereon, an outer lock member inserted in the barrel, an inner lock member inserted in the outer member, flexible towelengaging means secured to the inner member, the towels being slidable on the flexible means and from there onto the barrel when the inner member is inserted, and the outer member being slidable out onto the flexible means, means on the outer member to confine the towels to the barrel when the outer member is inserted in'the barrel, engaging means in the lock-case to hold either one or both of said members inserted in the barrel, but operated by either member to release the other member, whereby the said member releasing the engaging means is held by said engaging means.

6. In a towel rack, as parts thereof, a plurality of telescoping lock members, each actin as the key to release another, and each being held after it has released the other.

7. In a towel rack, as parts thereof, a plurality of telescoping lock members having recesses communicating, and a keeper entering the recesses, but expelled from said recesses by rotation of either member, and means preventing the withdrawal of the member that is rotated to expel thekeeper, for the purposes set forth.

8. In a towel rack, as parts thereof, a plurality of telescoping lock members having transverse recesses communicatin a keeper entering the recesses, but expelle from said recesses by rotation of either member, said members also having longitudinal slots merging into circumferential slots, the respective slots of the members communicating, and a projection entering said slots, and occupying the circumferential slot in a member `when it is rotated to expel the keeper, for

the purpose set forth.

9. In a towel rack, as parts thereof, a lurality of telescoping lock members, each av-Y ing a plurality of transverse recesses, the respective recesses of the members communicating, a plurality7 of keepers, each entering respective communicating recesses in the members, said members also having longitudinal slots merging into circumferential slots, the respective slots of the members communicating, and a projection entering said slots, and occupying the circumferential slot in a member when it is rotated to expel the keepers from the transverse slots.

10. In a towel rack, as parts thereof, a plurality of telescopin lock members, each having a plurality o transverse recesses, the respective recesses of the members communieating, a plurality of keepers, each entering the respective communicating recesses in the members, but expelled from its recesses on rotation of one of the members and means preventing the withdrawal of the member that is rotated to expel the keepers, for the purposes set forth.

11. In a towel rack, as parte thereof, a plurality of telescoping lock members, each nasafias having a plurality' of transverse recesses, the respective iccesses of the members communicating. a plurality of keepers, each entering respective eon'imunicating recesses in the members, but expelled from said recess-es by rotation of either member, individual yieliluble means for each keeper, pressing il into its recesses in the members, said members also having longitudinal slots merging into circumferential slots, the respective slots of the members communicating, and a projection entering said slots, ocrupying the longitudinal slot of a member when its transverse recesses are adapted to receive livrpers, but occupying the circumferential slot oi' a member when the member is rotated to expel the keepers from the recesses.

l2. In a towel rack, as parts thereof, a

i plurality of telescoping lock members, each having a transverse recess, the recesses of the members communicating, a keeper entering the recesses in the members, but expelled from said recesses by rotation of either l member, said kf'eper being expelled from the recess of the outer member by the rotation of the inner member only as far as the outer surface olf the inner member, and the outer member having inclined surfaces for said i keeper to pass over and be expelled to the Outer surface of the outer member, for the purpose set forth, and means preventing the withdrawal of a member when it is rotated to expel the keeper.

13. In a towel rack, as parts thereof, a

'lock-case, a barrel on said lock-case, an outer lock member inserted into the barrel, an inner lock member inserted into the outer member, said members projecting into the lock-case, a pin inside the barrel, said members having longitudinal slots merging into circumferential slots, and the respective slots of the members communicating and receiving said pin, being allowed to be withdrawn from said barrel when the pin occupies the longitudinal slot, but being held in the barrel when the pin occupies the circumferential slot, said members also having communicating transverse notches in their parts projecting into the lock-case, a keeper entering the transverse notches when the pin in the barrel occupies the longitudinal slot, and being expelled from the notches when either member is rotated and admits the pin in the barrel to its circumferential slot, whereby either member may be released by the other, but whereby the one releasing is then held in the barrel, said barrel being adapted to receive towels, obstructing means on the outer member to hold towels on the barrel when the outer member is inserted in the barrel and held by the keeper, and a tiexible member secured to the inner member and permitting the outer member to slide onto it, and thereafter the towels to slide onto it, for use, and obstructing means on said flexible member to prevent the removal of said outer member and said towels from the flexible member.

1l. In a towel supply device, a holder for towels adapted for the use of said towels individually, means for locking said towels on the holder without interfering with the use thereof, a rack, and means for mounting the holder on the rack and removing it therefrom without unlocking the holder to release the towels, said holder when mounted on the rack being adapted to allow the towels to rest on said rack.

15. In a towel supply device, a holder for towels adapted for use of said towels individually, means for locking said towels on the holder without interfering with the use thereof, a' rack, and means for locking the holder on the rack and unlocking it therefrom without unlocking the holder t release the towels.

1G. In a towel supply device, a holder upon which to string towels, a flexible member inserted in said holder and locked thereto, means on the flexible member for preventing the removal of towels therefrom, a rack, and means for mounting the holder on the rack without unlocking the flexible member.

17. In a towel supply device, a holder for towels comprising in part a rod, a rack, means for mounting the rod on the rack so that the towels thereon will lie on the rack, and means for locking the towels on the rod, said means for mounting the rod on the rack being independent of the towel locking means whereby the rod and towels may be removed without unlocking the towels from the rod.

18. In a towel supply device, a holder for towels comprising a rod and a chain, a rack, means for mounting the rod on the rack so as to stand vertically with the chain depending therefrom, means for locking the towels on the rod and chain, said means bein independent of the means for mounting t e rod on the rack whereby the rod may be removed from or mounted on the rack without unlocking the towels therefrom.

STEPHEN B. FETHEROLF. 

